Mortar joint finishing tool



Oct. 1, 1968 HAZELRIGG 3,403,419

MORTAR JOINT FINISHING TOOL I Filed Jan. 6, 1967 FIG. 1.

IN VEN TOR.

CHAEl 56 H H4251. Q/GC BY [Tim United States Patent 3,403,419 MORTAR JOINT FINISHING TOOL Charles H. Hazelrigg, Rte. 1, Box 179, Asheville, N.C. 28804 Filed Jan. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 607,781 4 Claims. (Cl. 15235.3)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mortar joint finishing tool comprising: an elongated, downwardly opening base; a coil spring extending along said downward opening, said spring being secured at each end of said base, and a handle portion projecting above said base.

This invention relates to a mortar joint finishing tool.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a practical and eflicient device of the kind indicated, which afiords interchangeable shaping components, of different sizes and contours, the interchanging of the shaping components being capable of being done quickly and easily, and without the handling of nuts, bolts, or screws.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a tool of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section, taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end elevation of the tool, taken from the right in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, on the scale of FIGURE 4, showing the leading end of the tool base;

FIGURE 6 is a group side elevation, showing a shaping component clip removed from an end of the base; and,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the leading end of the tool.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the illustrated tool comprises a longitudinally elongated metal base 10 of downwardly opening V-shaped or angle iron cross-section, having a straight main portion 12, an upwardly curved leading end portion 14, and an upwardly angled trailing end portion 16.

The main portion 12 is several times longer than the end portions, and the leading end portion 14 is substantially longer than the trailing end portion 16. The flanges 18 of the base 10 have flat free lower edges 20.

Upon the base 10 is secured a handle 22, preferably of wood or plastic, which extends along the top of the base, substantially for the length of the main portion 12 of the base. The handle 22 comprises a block 24, of substantially the width of the base 10, the bottom edge of the block being formed with a V-shaped groove 26 which conformably receives the base. Screws 28 are passed through openings 30, formed in the apex of the base, and threaded into the block 24, to secure the handle to the base. A central, longitudinally elongated portion 32 rises above the remainder of the block 24, and is formed with a longitudinal opening 34, whose opposed edges are surrounded, as shown in FIGURE 2, which provides a hand grip bar 36.

The leading and trailing end portions of the base 10 have squared terminals 38, as shown in FIGURE 5, and longitudinal slots 40 are formed through the apex 42 of the base, from the ends 38. At the inner ends of the slots 40, the apex 42 of the base is formed with aligned longitudinal flats 44, which are on a level with the upper edges 3,403,419 Patented Oct. 1, 1968 of the sides 46 of the slots 40. The slot sides 46 are flat and parallel to each other.

Clips 48 comprise flat, generally rectangular metal plates 50, having parallel vertical leading and trailing end edges 52 and 54, respectively. Reclining L-shaped hooks 56 have vertical portions 58 which rise from the upper edges of the plates 50, at their trailing end edges 54, and merge into horizontal inwardly extending arms 60 which are spaced upwardly from the upper edges of the plates 50. As shown in FIGURE 6, the lower edges of the arms 60 have outer end portions 62 which are angled upwardly and inwardly, and inner end portions 64, which are offset upwardly from the portions 62, and are disposed parallel with the longitudinal centerlines of the plates 50.

The hook arms 60 are adapted to be engaged in the base end portion slots 40, with the inner end portions 64, of the lower edges of the arms, engaged upon the flats 44. The upper and lower edges 66 and 68, respectively, of the plates 50 are formed with notches 70.

Removably engaged on the plates 50, with convolutions 72 engaged in the notches 70, are related end portions 73 and 75, of a shaper 74, in the form of a coil spring, the major portion of which is disposed between and is engaged with the inner sides of the flanges 18 of the base 10, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The base 10 and the shaper 74 are proportioned in size, so that approximately two-thirds of the shaper is exposed below the base. The shaper spring 74 is under endwise compression, so that the expanding tension thereof serves to force and hold the clip arms 60 up in place in the base slots and hold the end portions 64, of the lower edges of the arms 60, down on the flats 44.

The shaper 74 is readily removable from the base 10, merely by manually tilting downwardly either clip 40, against the resistance of the shaper 74, and moving the clip out of the slot 40. Another interchangeable shaper 74 can then, if desired, be replaced on the clips, and installed on the base 10. Shapers of different diameters and contours can be used.

In use and operation, the hand grip bar 36 being grasped in the hand, the shaper 74 is applied to the mortar between bricks or blocks, and moved therealong endwise, so as to give the mortar a uniform concave finished surface. The curved leading end portion of the shaper, engaged with the leading end portion 14, of the base, provides for rocking the shaper while engaged with a mortar seam, where circumstances dictate. The spring convolutions 72 serve to efliciently cut and move mortar.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool of the character described, comprising a downwardly opening base, said base being longitudinally elongated, a substantially cylindrical shaper extending along said base, said shaper having its upper part engaged within the base, and means connecting the shaper at its ends to the base at related ends of the base, said base having an inverted V-shaped cross-section affording downwardly divergent flanges, said shaper comprising a coil spring, said connecting means comprising clips having plates over which the ends of the spring are engaged, and retaining means on the ends of the base with which said clips are securably engaged, said clips having hooks on their upper edges, said hooks comprising inwardly extending arms spaced upwardly from the plates, said hook arms being engaged with said retaining means.

2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said base has an apex, said retaining means comprising longitudinal slots formed in the ends of the base in the apex of the base, said apex being formed with flats at the inner ends of the slots, said hook arms being engaged in the slots with their arms bearing upon the flats, said spring 3 v 7 being under endwise compression serving to hold the clips in place.

3. A tool of the character described, comprising a downwardly opening base, being longitudinally elongated, a substantially cylindrical shaper extending along said base, said shaper having its upper part engaged within the base, and means connecting the shaper at its ends to the base at related ends of the base, said base having an inverted V-shaped cross-section affording downwardly divergent flanges, said shaper comprising a coil spring, said connecting means comprising clips having plates over which the ends of the spring are engaged, and retaining means on the ends of the base with which said clips are securably engaged, said base having upwardly angled end portions, end portions of the spring being deflected into engagement with said end portions.

4. A tool according to claim 3, wherein one of said 4' end portions is curved and the other end portion straight and angled relative to the base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,644 10/1891 Maurer 15235.3 1,715,569 6/1929 Rathjen 15-2353 1,743,704 1/ 1930 Boux 15235.8 2,183,082 12/ 1939 Montagne. 3,110,919 11/1963 Barnby 15236 3,137,879 6/1964 Dootson 15236 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,016,682 1/ 1966 Great Britain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. 

